One Step At A Time
by Basmathgirl
Summary: One night after Journey's End, Wilf finds a surprising discovery in his allotment shed. One he never knew existed.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** if I owned any of this, TenII would never have had to do any of this.  
 **A/N:** I had to do something else entirely so of course my muse insisted I wrote this...  
 **A/N2:** written for the **hc_bingo** challenge prompt "homesickness"

* * *

 **One Step At A Time**

 **Part 1**

.

A shadowy figure ran across the grass, heading towards the upper allotments.

"'Ere, what's your game?" Wilf muttered to himself as he followed at a safe distance under the cover of darkness, determined to find the blighter and stop him in his tracks.

The clouds slightly parted, allowing Wilf a better view of the area. Not a sign of the interloper could be seen. Now worried, Wilf shuffled faster towards his beloved shed and let out a plaintive groan when he saw that the lock had been broken.

"You swine!" he exclaimed in frustration. "I hope for your sake that you're not still in there."

With that, he dramatically shoved the door open and peered inside, fists at the ready.

He couldn't see anything out of place, or that any items were missing. What could the stranger have wanted in here? As his eyes desperately sought out clues in the gloom, the sound of someone lightly panting reached his ears.

"Come out! I know you're in here," he called out. "It's no good you hiding so you might as well show yourself."

A breathy voice answered, "Is that you, Gramps? It's me."

"Who's me?" Wilf suspiciously asked as he stepped towards the voice.

Two wide eyes appeared in the dark, closely followed by a tall dark figure. "John Smith."

"His Lordship! What are you doing hiding in here?" Wilf gasped. "Donna ain't with me."

"I'm... I… I'm not him," John stammered apologetically. "I look just like him but I'm not the Doctor."

"Pardon," Wilf murmured in confusion. "But you said you're John Smith."

"Oh, I see. It's a name he often uses, but I had to choose something to call myself and it seemed as good a name as any," John blustered. "Sorry for the confusion." There was a pause, and then he asked, "He never called himself 'John Smith' in front of Donna so when did he say that to you?"

"The night he brought her home without her memories," Wilf supplied without knowing why.

"The metacrisis," John sadly noted. "He would have had to do that."

"Excuse me, but who exactly are you?" Wilf demanded to know, now peeved at being so confused.

"If he mentioned the metacrisis, which I'm assuming he did because you aren't questioning that aspect, did he not mention me?"

"No. Should he have done?" Wilf wondered.

"It would have helped a bit," John huffed, "especially to explain why I am here. Nice to know I was so noteworthy."

"To be fair, he was rather broken up about Donna at the time," Wilf defended the Doctor. "But you've still got the chance to explain who you are and why you are hiding in my shed."

"True," John acknowledged. "And it's really good to see you for myself rather than as a memory." He then struck out a hand to shake. "How do you do. I'm John Smith. Part Doctor, part Donna; born from the metacrisis."

"What, like a son?" Wilf asked as he took the hand to shake.

"Yes, no, maybe. I can see why you'd think that, but in this instance you'd be wrong," John replied. "I'm more the Doctor with a little bit of Donna that made me human." He couldn't keep the bile out of his voice on that last word; it still disgusted him to a certain extent. "Less like a mother and more like a blood supplier. I think of her in the same terms that someone would their kidney donor."

"Like someone who died whilst providing for other people's sake?"

"Well… yes, you could say that," John agreed and nodded his head. "Since she technically died, from what I felt." Seeing Wilf's startled expression, he added, "Me and her, we were connected; but the pain of separation hurt so much! I was floored by it for days. God knows what it must have done to the Doctor. Anyway…!"

"You don't have to put on a front with me," Wilf tenderly assured him, adding in a touch on his shoulder. "Blimey, you need feeding up! You're all skin and bone. We can't have that. Let's go down and get you something to eat and a nice cup of tea. How does that sound?"

"Pretty good, to be honest," John admitted, giving Wilf a thankful wan smile. "It's been a few days since I've had anything proper. Will Sylvia be there?"

"Do you want her to be?"

"I don't mind." John gave him a brighter smile. "I'm starving and gasping for a cup, so all the explanations and labels can wait half a mo."

"You talk just like Donna," Wilf commented with a chuckle. "Are you sure you didn't get more than her blood?"

"That isn't the half of it, Gramps." John then stilled as they walked down the hill. "Is it okay to call you 'Gramps'? If not, I'll switch to 'Wilf'."

"Whatever you feel comfortable with, lad," Wilf kindly replied, patting John on the back. "This'll take some getting used to, having someone new in the family." At John's questing gaze, he amended it to, "Well, sort of family, kind of adopted. Like an in-law."

"What!" John spluttered.

"Now now, don't get all whatshername," Wilf chided. "I'm only throwing out thoughts here. But tell me, where have you been all this time?"

"I was left in another universe, with Rose. She said she met you when she killed a Dalek that was threatening you."

"Oh aye, I remember her," Wilf cautiously answered. "Up and disappeared on us, she did, after phoning the Doctor. Left with her, you say? That's a bit off. Why didn't you come back with Donna and his Lordship?"

"Rose used a dimension cannon device to travel. Anyway... He was annoyed with me," John reluctantly admitted, "and wanted to stop Rose from leaping from universe to alternate universe by giving her what she wanted. Sort of."

"Which was?"

"Him. A version of him that could lead a normal human life." John averted his gaze, not wanting to see Wilf's sympathy. "She loves him with all her being." And then the question he was dreading was uttered.

"What about you? Where do you fit in to all this?"

"I don't; fit in, that is," John explained. "She still wanted to get back to the Doctor despite having me as a substitute; so she started using the dimension cannon again to look for him. I knew things had to change but when she sought out Donna to persuade her to die, I had to stop it immediately."

They had reached the kitchen patio door at this point of the conversation. As the stronger light hit John's features Wilf exclaimed, "Blimey, you not only look a bit like him, you're the spitting image!"

"So I've been told," John sighed. "It's caused loads of problems."

So Wilf ushered him in with the words, "I'm sure we'll find a way round it." And indicated he should sit down whilst the kettle was put on. "What was you saying about that Rose girl getting Donna to die?"

John seated himself at the kitchen table, taking in the familiar surroundings and silently revelling in his victory at getting there. "She said she did it to get Donna to leave an alternate universe and pass on a message to the Doctor."

"You don't sound convinced," Wilf observed.

"Well, let's just say that there are aspects of it that I don't agree with. I allowed that trip because it had already happened for Donna but I stole every dimension cannon jumping device, along with every record of the plans, and then set the coordinates to here."

"What about the machine? She could have used it again," Wilf interjected.

"Not anymore. I made sure of that," John stated. "I planted a bomb with a timer to go off once I'd used it."

"You sacrificed your new life to stop it," Wilf reworded, obviously impressed. "What exactly does this dimension cannon thing do?"

"It takes you to any place in the known universes. You get the whole of creation to explore."

"And you chose right here, when you could have gone anywhere. Why did you do that?"

John purposefully looked directly into Wilf's eyes to say sincerely but somewhat brokenly, "Because this is home."

"Aw, lad," Wilf crooned and placed a comforting arm around John's shoulders. "Nobody can blame you for being homesick. We'd all feel that way. Welcome home where you belong."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** written for the **hc_bingo** challenge prompt "stranded/survival scenario"  
 **A/N2:** this was virtually all written, so I'm posting it to finish the challenge.

* * *

 **Part 2**

.

"So you're not really _him_ ," Sylvia clarified as she sat back in her chair and starred at the filthy scrap of humanity that sat at her kitchen table with barely disguised suspicion.

"That's what I keep telling you, Sylve," Wilf stressed. "His Lordship is out travelling the stars and this one 'ere has fought his way back to us from a different planet. John has been living from hand to mouth as he walked across London to get here from Canary Wharf. It's a wonder he's still alive after leaving that other place like he did and being stranded on his own."

"It was an alternative Earth in another dimension," John quietly corrected as he gazed back at Sylvia, almost daring her to condemn him by throwing him back on the streets. "He called it Pete's World."

Something about his demeanour had already broken through the ice around her heart. "Why's that?" Sylvia inevitably asked.

Taking in a steadying breath, John answered, "Because that is where he met Rose's dad, Pete Tyler. A version that was alive, healthy, rich and influential. You probably remember Rose as the girl who saved you by killing a Dalek."

"Oh, her," Sylvia partially dismissed. "She started off alright and ended up making us sit here watching her try and contact the Doctor, without being able to say a word. Not that I'm ungrateful she saved our lives, please note, but her attitude where the Doctor is concerned stank. All she cared about was letting him know she was here."

"I know," John softly replied with feeling.

Sylvia peered at him with more sympathy. "How come you left her and wanted to come back here if you loved her?"

"As you said, she wanted the Doctor and only cared about getting back to him; whereas he can't live that sort of life with a human. It's impossible. So he left me there to do that," John explained. "Which might have worked if she could have accepted me as a substitution and I, you know, could maintain the emotions I was born with. And I tried, honest I did; but something else happened beyond Rose needing to be stopped from searching again." He took hold of his mug of tea with a tighter grip as he muttered, "You won't like this bit."

Wilf gasped, "Eh?" as Sylvia demanded, "What won't I like?"

"When Donna gained the metacrisis she gained every thought in the Doctor's head."

"He's already told us that bit," Sylvia snapped; "how her remembering will cause her brain to burn up and kill her. That's why he removed her memories and we have to tiptoe around like nobody's business trying to avoid any mention that might lead back to him."

"The good news is that dying nonsense shouldn't happen now that I'm back with her," John announced; and actually gained a grateful smile from her. "She only faltered once they left me."

"What's the bad news?" Wilf wondered. "I get the feeling that it ain't all good from now on."

"Well," John started to explained, "the thing is, having the Doctor's thoughts in your head brings something else; a special bond between us. Something that goes beyond the normal and binds you together and…"

"Go on," Wilf encouraged him. "Spit it out."

"The Doctor has severed his end of it, but as for me and Donna, well…" John steeled himself to say it, as quickly as possible to save any further damage. "I want to stress that you might not like this, but it won't stop it from being true. Me and Donna are sort of…. married. That is why I had to fight my way here. I cannot stay alive without her, and apparently it works the same way for her."

"Oh my gawd!" Wilf exclaimed.

"Married? But how can we explain you to her? This is bonkers," Sylvia complained. "What are we going to do?" she asked, tapping the table top with her fingernails as she thought. "I'll ask Suzette if you can lodge with her for a while and we can get this sorted out before Donna comes home and sees you. We can't risk it yet, just in case."

Just as they looked at each other in agreement, the sound of a key being used and the front door opening filtered in to them. "Hello! I'm home!" came the voice of Donna. "Sorry I'm late. Did you save me any dinner?"

"Hide yourself," Sylvia hissed at John.

"Where?" he huffed back. "There's nowhere except under the table. We'll have to brazen it out."

Wilf beseeched him, "Don't let her die, that's all I ask."

"I promise she'll survive," John easily vowed.

~O~O~

Donna walked into the kitchen to find three people sitting there almost huddled together before turning their worried faces onto her. "What's going on?" she queried, plucking a mug from out of a cupboard. "And does anyone want tea while you're telling me?"

"Don't be so suspicious, Donna," Sylvia scolded her. "We're just chatting. I think we'd all love a cup." She raised an eyebrow at her companions and got an answering nod of agreement.

The stranger in their midst stood cautiously and then murmured, "Hello Donna."

She took in this long streak of nothing, from the top of his dishevelled head, down passed his filthy and bedraggled clothing, right to his barely concealed feet in what might once have been decent Converses. But it was the sad adoring expression in his eyes that caught her attention, as though she was about to supply the answer to his prayers after years of suffering. Whether she would allow him to keep looking at her like that would be decided in the next few seconds.

"Hello. What on Earth happened to you?" she asked with great concern. "You look as though you fell in a ditch and have been living there since."

"Something like that," he quietly admitted. "It's been a bit of a bad time."

Feeling it the need to take over before anything dangerous was said; Wilf gently pulled the stranger back down onto his vacated seat. "I thought I'd bring home my friend John from the astronomy club since he might be staying with Suzette," he supplied, gesturing towards their guest. "Nothing more fancy than that."

"Are you sure?" Donna questioned as she brought over and placed two mugs of tea onto the table before them. "I wouldn't put it passed you to organise a blind date."

"Oh…erm…," John spluttered, "I errr… I'm not boyfriend material."

What a div! It was all she could do not to openly laugh at him. "But you do escort girls home when they've had an accident," Donna commented. When his eyes went wide in shock, she continued, "Yes, I remember you, John Smith. Despite the grubby disguise, I actually remember something about that night. That was really nice of you, by the way. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he mumbled into his fresh mug of tea, and then winced when the liquid was far too hot to drink yet.

"Anyway, John here needs a bed for the night so I'm making up the spare room for him," Sylvia announced.

"Are you not feeling well, Mum?" Donna instantly wondered.

"Why?" Sylvia retorted.

"Because it isn't like you to give strangers bed and board without having your arm twisted behind your back," Donna joked.

"I think it's very nice of her," John stated.

"It is that," Wilf agreed. "So where have you been tonight?" he changed the subject by asking Donna.

She vaguely answered, "Oh, out and about."

"Got a new man, eh?" Wilf jested. "Or has Nerys had you babysitting again?"

"If you must know, I've been up the adult college to see what evening classes they'll have on offer next term," Donna admitted. "Thought I might try something new to add to my skill set. And no jokes about it being husband baiting, Mum."

"What! I never said a word," Sylvia complained. She then snorted into her mug, "But if you want to find yourself a husband in some evening class, I won't stop you."

"Thanks, Mum," Donna huffed and then turned to consider John. "Does your mother do this sort of thing to you?"

Should he admit he didn't have a mother? "No, can't say I've had that problem." That was smooth, wasn't it? He'd bound to have got away with it. "Not that I'm looking for a husband or…. or… am against people who want one, or are casually looking…," he blustered adorably.

Sylvia stared at him in confusion. "What _are_ you on about?"

Patting her on the arm, Donna answered for him, "I think he's trying to say, in a really unsubtle way, that he's not gay."

"Oh, well I knew that," Sylvia retorted. "Although it could explain why his ex-girlfriend is his ex," she mischievously added.

John glared at her in disgust and almost bit his tongue to hold in his response.

"But joking aside," she continued unabashed, "it's obvious you need someone to look after you. And me and Dad want you to know we're here for you, whenever you need us."

As John grinned with relief, Donna sat back in shock. "Okay," she drawled. "Who are you and what have you done with my mother? I feel like I'm sitting in The Twilight Zone."

"Stop being so dramatic," Sylvia grumbled. "Anyone would think I can't be welcoming; and I assure you, John, that I can be."

"If you say so," Donna mumbled under her breath. "Anyway, on to important things. Have you had any dinner yet, John?"

"No, just tea," he honestly replied, hoping this would lead to an offer of a meal.

"In that case, I'll divvy up my dinner as Mum always does enough for two and you can go wash and change, if Gramps will give you some spare clothing," she suggested. "You can't sit around in that outfit. One cough and it'll fall off, leaving you naked."

"I'm sure I've got something that'll fit you for now," Wilf agreed.

"You warm the plates, Donna, and I'll go make the spare bed up," Sylvia immediately ordered. "Follow me, John. We'll soon have you put to rights."

Grinning with delight, John stood up and happily followed Sylvia and Wilf upstairs while Donna prepared him something to eat. This was exactly the homecoming he had been dreaming of.

* * *

 **A/N3:** I _could_ add to this but I'm not sure if it's worth the bother.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** for those of you who wanted to read more, sorry for the long delay in adding a few sentences.

* * *

 **Part 3**

.

"Did you manage to find him something to wear?" Sylvia asked her father when he appeared back downstairs.

He chuckled. "We might have to invest in a new pair of trousers for him tomorrow but I've sorted some bits out for the time being. Give him his due; he didn't moan much when I offered him my old pair of jeans to wear. I've given him that fancy dressing grown Minnie insisted on giving me for Christmas."

"What, that black silk one with the embroidery," Sylvia wondered. "He'll look a right 'nana in it."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Wilf reminded her. "It was that or him walk about half dressed when he comes out of the shower."

Sylvia had to agree that it was better to be covered up then not. "Did you show him where the shampoo and deodorant stuff are, as well as the good towels?"

"Yes," Wilf answered with concealed exasperation. "Of course I did. And me best after shaves." He then looked around to double check whether Donna was near enough to overhear. Once he was satisfied she wasn't, he risked inquiring, "What are we going to do about him and her?"

"In what sense do you mean?" she wondered.

"Well, not wanting to sound too indelicate," he cautiously began, "are you going to allow them to sleep together?"

"Why ever would I do that?" she hissed

"Because," he stressed, "when Donna finds out they're married, she will want to."

"Not under my roof, they ain't," she sternly retorted. "We've only got his word for it for now, and there'll be none of that sort of nonsense, not if I can help."

Wanting to play devil's advocate, he pondered, "You won't be helping them give you them grandchildren you go on about if you stop them sharing a room."

"Dad!" Sylvia exclaimed in shock. "Don't be disgusting."

"It's only human nature," he argued. "They all do it these days, married or not. You'll be forcing them out to live somewhere else if you don't let them."

She huffed in annoyance. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. IF we come it. For all we know she might never remember."

"John seemed quite adamant that she would eventually," Wilf supplied. "He says it's much safer with him being here."

"We'll see," she maintained. "If the other one turns up there'll be hell to pay."

"Something'll happen, that's for sure," Wilf noted to himself as Sylvia fussed about with pots and pans for a while. "The Doctor will certainly have something to say about it all."

~O~O~

There was enough time before eating for a quick spruce up, so Donna had decided to go into her bedroom to brush her hair and touch up her makeup. She may not be chasing after their new houseguest but she didn't have to act like a philistine, she told herself.

It was as she finished applying some lip gloss with a last look in her mirror that she noticed the wet figure clad in towels that silently stood on the landing and watching her through the open bedroom door. "Hello John. What are you looking at me like that for?"

Caught out, he gained time to think by rearranging the towel tied at his waist. "It's just that…," he stammered. "It's so good to see you again."

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll knock you into next week," she threatened.

This time he rubbed his head with the towel wrapped around his neck, leaving his hair sticking up in every possible direction. "How am I looking at you?"

"Like a dog that's only just seen its owner after they've been away on holiday," she explained, taking in his shaggy appearance. "All sort of gooey and excited."

"Perhaps that's exactly how I feel," he reasoned. "Is it wrong of me to be pleased you are alive and well?"

"Seeing as you rescued me, I suppose not." You could probably count the number of men who'd be prepared to do that for her on the fingers of one hand. She then huffed self-consciously. "Get a move on or you'll freeze to death out there on the landing. Our dinner should be ready by now, and Mum did us some extra veg."

"Donna," he soft uttered as she passed him on the way to the stairs. "It really is good to see you. I'm probably describing it all wrong, but for quite a while I thought I would never see you again. And yet, here you are, standing in front of me; like a miracle has happened."

"That's a bit rich," she blustered in embarrassment. "Geroff!"

"I'll see you downstairs in a mo'," he murmured, letting her escape from him. "Once I've thrown some clothes on."

"Good job and all," she called back. "All that pale flesh is blinding me."

"That's typical of my Donna," he gleefully muttered to himself as he headed for his assigned bedroom. Not that he would ever have allowed her to hear him talk about her like that. He feared for his life far too much to let that happen.

~O~O~

"There he is," Sylvia happily announced when a dressed John appeared a few minutes later. "Don't you look different now that you've been cleaned up. We'll have to buy you a new shaver to get rid of that stubble."

John happily beamed under her pleased greeting, and ran a hand thoughtfully over his chin. "I'm thinking of keeping it; perhaps grow a beard."

"You'll be scratchy to kiss for a while," Donna commented.

"Oh... I..." He immediately blushed. "There's no one who'll want to kiss me so that shouldn't be a problem."

She smirked at his bashfulness. "Just give me the nod and I'll take you down The Feathers. We could find you a new girlfriend in no time."

This could work, his mind told him. It'd ease their relationship gently into her mind, keeping things nice and calm. "I'd be up for that, if you're willing to take me out."

"It's a date... that's not a date." She then frowned at him. "Why does that sound familiar?"

Goody! She remembered something. "Perhaps you heard it on the telly," he suggested.

"Yeah," she murmured. "Is dinner ready yet, Mum? We're starving, and John here needs extra helpings."

"Good job I've done plenty of veg," Sylvia answered, carrying two plates over to the kitchen table, "because he can help himself to as much as he likes."

"Thank you!" he chimed as he eagerly sat down and grasped his assigned cutlery. "It looks delicious."

"Hollow legs. You've got hollow legs," Donna later commented when he wolfed down two portions. "It hardly touched the sides as it went down."

But he was too happy to pretend to be offended.

His mood crashed when Donna queried, "So, John, what sort of work are you going to look for now that you've been fed and watered?"

He hadn't thought of that. Of course, he couldn't do what he used to do and didn't even have a National Insurance number or provable qualifications. That meant he would have to get help from somewhere, either UNIT or Torchwood; and he wasn't keen to allow Donna anywhere near Jack again. Not after she had made a grab for him in the way she had in the TARDIS, although part of him was willing to consider she'd done that to spite the Doctor being so distracted by Rose hanging on his every action and word.

"Earth to John!" Donna brought him out of his thoughts by exclaiming. "I asked about you getting a new job."

"Ah yes," he blustered. "Sorry. I was a million miles away then. Just thinking about my old bank account and wondering if I can gain access to it without the original paperwork."

"If it contains thousands of pounds or even a few quid it'll be worth the effort to gain back what's yours," she commented.

Her insides did a flip when he looked right at her and said, "Getting back everything that is mine is my main priority." Realising the intensity of his words, he quickly tacked on flippantly, "There's also the money I've inherited over the years."

"Got secret hordes of gold, have you," she teased.

"Actually, now that I think about it, I might," he noted. "There could even be a property I'm entitled to."

"I could help you look, if you like," she offered.

There was something about him that she liked a great deal, but it was best that she didn't push it too far. Knowing her luck, once he gained some money, and if he was stinking rich, he'd be gone so fast you wouldn't see him for dust, and all she'd be left with was images of him and his new blonde trophy wife.

Her heart melted when he beamed a huge grin of delight in her direction. "I'd like that very much. I think we'd make a very good team together."

All she could risk in answer was smugly sipping her mug of tea.

~O~O~


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** for those still reading this, I actually have two parts now ready to post. :)  
 **A/N2:** anybody else who _isn't_ still reading this, I'm probably talking to myself...

* * *

 **Part 4**

.

It had taken several phone calls, being passed from department to department, before John had finally conceded defeat. There was no way to directly contact the Brigadier, Colonel Mace was a casualty of the Daleks, Jack's number wasn't listed anywhere that he could find, and every message he left with Francine for Martha didn't get answered. All that left was walking to Sarah Jane's; and he was loathed to drag her into it in case her cover was blown. That was all he needed, the demise of her and her teenage son on his head.

No, it looked as though he would have to go it alone for the time being; unless he could find a way to sneak down to Cardiff and throw himself on Jack's mercy.

"Any luck?" Wilf kindly asked him.

"No," John admitted. "Nobody believes who I am, let alone give me any information to access my… the Doctor's money," he corrected himself. Sometimes it was still tempting to think of himself as the Doctor rather than as a biological tributary. "Without the right paperwork, I can't even prove I exist in order to get a job. How wizard!"

"So what will you do now?" Wilf tried to smile reassuringly. "Surely that bloke we saw on the subway telly can help the pair of you."

"Subwave," John involuntarily rectified. "He can. Apparently that's his thing now; but I have to get down there to him in Cardiff Bay. And that'll mean telling Donna."

"Suggest a holiday," Wilf offered. "Tell her you fancy seeing a bit of Wales."

"Who goes to Cardiff unless they have family or friends down there?" John grumbled. "It's not the sort of place you pluck out of the air, like you would Edinburgh or York."

"Can't you invent a close relative?"

"I'd have to live that lie for the rest of our lives," John pointed out. "But I could invent a university friend," he brightly amended. "People tend to keep in touch with those. What do you think? Could I get away with saying I know Jack from uni?"

"Might do," Wilf agreed. "Worth trying. You've still got to pay for the trip and somewhere to stay."

"Bugger!" John muttered.

"I'll tell you what; Winston's nephew is looking for someone to help him out as a part time casual. Cash in hand. If you fancy having a go doing a spot of labouring, I'll give him a bell."

John had hardly finished his nod before Wilf was reaching for the phone.

~O~O~

"I. Am. Knackered," John announced, before positioning his body to plonk himself down onto Sylvia's settee. "It's official."

"Oi! Go and change before you put your dirty work clothing all over my nice clean furniture," she cautioned him. "Dinner is almost ready so hurry up."

Sighing, he did as he was told and made for the stairs. "Will do."

"And tell that daughter of mine, while you're up there, that she can come and help dish the dinner up instead of texting all those mates of hers," Sylvia continued. "Who does she think she is? I dread to think how much her phone bill will be this month. Anyone would think she's running the country, the way she carries on, instead of going on about Suzie Mair's latest crush of the week."

It was best that he let her carry on moaning, John decided as he ascended the stairs. At least she was aiming it at him rather than Donna.

"You alright?" Donna asked him as he reached the top step and glanced through her doorway.

"Yeah," he replied. "Just a bit tired, that's all. Been a long day, and I'm knackered."

"I'll tell you what," she started to offer as she walked up to her door, "how about I take you out after dinner? I'll buy you a drink down The Feathers and you can escape from Mum for a while."

"That'd be great, but I've got no money," he reluctantly admitted. "I won't get paid until the end of the week."

"Don't worry about that," she pleasantly murmured. "My treat, for keeping Mum off my back; and I'll even throw in a possible date."

He beamed a smile at her. "In that case, you're on!"

~O~O~

John took in a deep breath, lifted up the two pints of beer from the pub bar drip-mat, and silently recited to himself, "I can do this: a date that's not-a-date but yet might be a date." Having done that, he turned, and made his way over to where Donna sat at a round wooden table near the pub window.

She smiled at him; ever ready to throw out a tease in his direction. "You took your time. I thought you'd pulled the barmaid, for a second."

"No. Was I supposed to?" he mischievously wondered.

"Depends if it's grab-a-granny night or not," she retorted, eyeing the older, matronly woman behind the bar. "Although I'm not sure Delores is into toy boys."

"Then my luck isn't in," he responded in kind. Taking a sip from his own glass, he quickly added, "Thanks for bringing me out tonight. I appreciate this."

"When a man manages to keep my mother happy, I have to reward him," she neatly dismissed his thanks. "I still don't know how you changed her mind from getting Suzette to have you to her keeping you instead."

He considered that as he took another sip. "I get the impression that she likes fussing over me."

"Tell us about it," Donna scoffed, drinking from her own glass. "Anyway, I promised you a date but there don't seem to be any possible candidates in here for you tonight. Sorry."

"Never mind." He smiled disarmingly. "You've won the booby prize by being my date instead."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" she countered, feeling pleased that he was okay with their situation. "And don't put yourself down. If some woman doesn't fancy going out with you, send her to me and I'll soon change her mind."

Sitting back in shock, he gawped at her. "Is that so?"

"What?" she wondered. "Of course I'd big you up. We're mates, you and me. Ow…." A sharp pain hit her in the left temple, so she reached up to try and rub the ache away. "It would seem my head doesn't like me calling you my mate."

He immediately touched her hand briefly. "Or perhaps it's your head showing its approval," John reflected. "The truth hurts, they say."

Unlike her head now, she was pleased to note. Perhaps he had the magic touch? "You are a wag," she laughed. "A little bit bonkers but you'll do."

His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he playfully grinned at her. "What are you planning on getting me to do?"

"Stop being a tart, for a start," she responded. As if she would admit what she'd want him to do; and to his face too? No, that was mere fantasy stuff. "We'll work out the rest later."

"Once I stop feeling so knackered. All this hard work is doing me in," he confessed.

"Never mind, eh. At least you should end up with some decent muscles that other people pay to get at the gym," she consoled him. "Maybe we'll only have the one drink, tonight and you can get home to bed."

"Good idea," he agreed, happily supping his beer. "I've got another early start tomorrow."

It was only once they had finished and left the pub that they ran into someone Donna knew.

"Hello Veena," she greeted her in surprise. "Wasn't expecting to see you tonight."

"Same here," Veena answered. "Is this your mum's new lodger I've been hearing about?"

"Yes, this is John."

"Hello," he greeted Veena. "It's nice to meet you."

Veena went to equally welcome him and then frowned in confusion. "Hello… Hang on. Aren't you the bloke that was at the wedding?"

"Erm…"

"What wedding?" Donna inevitably asked.

"Your-," Veena went to supply.

"No," he quickly put in. "There must be someone going around looking like me."

"Really? I thought you were unique," Donna teased. "Weird to think that someone might be just as bonkers."

After playfully sticking his tongue out at her, he replied, "Well, something about me is unique, so if you want to find out just let me know."

Thumbing towards him, Donna then told Veena, "This one's an utter tart. Beard boy here is completely cruising on his looks."

A bemused Veena shifted her gaze between the two of them. He looked far too pleased she'd said that about him, which sort of implied there was something else, something more meaningful, going on. Although her curiosity had been tweaked, Veena felt it best she kept well out of it for the time being especially if it meant avoiding Donna going into a vicious jealous rage. "If you say so," she commented. "Will I see you this weekend?"

"I'll let you know, once we get home," Donna cautiously answered. "See you later. Bye!"

Once they'd all said their goodbyes, Veena stood and watched Donna and John amiably walking back home without even a glance in her direction. "Well well well, Donna. Looks like you bagged him after all," she muttered to herself, and then laughed in amusement. And to think Donna had often told her friends there was nothing going on, that they were just friends who travelled a bit together. Yeah, too right there was! With a scornful huff, she carried on her way.

~O~O~


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** another quick chapter, as promised/threatened.

* * *

 **Part 5**

.

"I wonder whose wedding she was going on about," Donna pondered as they walked along and reached the end of their road.

"Probably a cousin of hers or something," John pretended to consider. "I must have that sort of face so that people think they've seen me before."

"Could be," she allowed. "Like that woman who went all pale in Tesco's the other day."

He had to admit that incident had been very peculiar. He had no idea who the woman was but she obviously knew him or the Doctor, judging by the way she reacted. "Do you think I might look like someone famous?"

"Who, you?" she queried, stopping just outside the house to study him in the low orangey light of the streetlights. "Nah! Can't see it, myself. But there is something about us being out here in the dark that worries me."

"Oh?" Not that he could sense anything out of the ordinary.

"Yes. I can't explain it, but something in me is terrified you'll suddenly get shot," she admitted. "How daft is that?"

He moved closer to say, "Not so daft considering some of the things you see on the news." In truth, he was frightened. If she suddenly kicked off into a full on blaze he'd never be able to save her. She needed more of a trickle to let the memories through. "We're home now, safe and sound. Come on, I'll make us tea before we go up to bed," he offered, reaching out to take her hand to guide her home.

"You're trembling," she noted with concern. "Why are you so worried? You've already won Mum over."

"Oh, you know," he evaded the question. "Us on a date, that's not a date; but…"

"But what?" she whispered as they peered at each on the doorstep.

This moment of privacy and promise could easily disappear in seconds once they entered the house. He stared into her eyes, trying to gauge whether or not this was the right moment to make such a suggestion.

"Would it be bonkers for us to… and I know I might be totally wrong about this… but I'm just putting this out for consideration," he quietly bumbled. "Could we, in some sense of the word, perhaps try to be… erm…"

"What exactly are you going on about, Beard boy?" she asked, smiling despite herself. "What are we trying to be? The next Pope; members of the Japanese figure-skating Olympic team; Aunt Ethel's rugby team's support group; the Spice Girls?"

Drawing in a breath for courage, he managed to say, "A couple. A real dating in a non-not-dating sort of a way couple. Sorry for blurting it out, but I want to try."

"A couple?" she echoed.

A whirlwind of dizziness had started to topple her body, and she clung to his sleeve as the front door opened.

Wilf stood there holding onto the door latch. "You alright?"

"My head," she gasped. "I can't…"

John ably caught her before she hit the carpet. "I have to get her to lie down," he threw at Wilf as he lifted Donna into his arms. "This needs us to be in close contact so don't be alarmed."

"Right you are," Wilf trustingly replied. "You do what you have to do."

~O~O~

When Sylvia tiptoed up to peek in to Donna's bedroom half an hour later, she wasn't that surprised to see them both lying on the bed, facing each other with foreheads touching, and him cradling Donna within his tight grasp. They were either asleep or silently communing. Whatever it was they were doing, it seemed to be working because Donna no longer looked wracked with pain due to the migraines she had often had since the Doctor had brought her home.

"Is it working?" Wilf whispered directly into her ear from behind.

"Yes," she answered in kind. "And stop creeping up on me like that. Don't they look lovely together?"

"Like little angels they are," he agreed. "Perhaps that's what his Lordship meant when he said she was the most important woman in the universe."

"Only men in love say things like that," she scoffed. "Him being an alien, he probably meant something else entirely different."

"Maybe," Wilf allowed. "Or…" The thunderous expression on his daughter's face soon stopped that line of thought in its tracks. "Anyway, she'll get better now. She's got him."

"She has," Sylvia fondly agreed. "And we can all be grateful for that."

~O~O~

It was either very late, or really early, depending on how you wanted to look at it, when Donna woke up. She shuffled about to relieve her arm that had gone to sleep and found, to her horror, that she wasn't alone in the bed.

What had she done?! Had she really drunk that much the night before? And was she that desperate she'd go out to grab a random bloke?

The man beside her snuffled and turned over, thus revealing who he was.

Her eyes went wide in shock. John! She had slept with John! But… how? Why?

Her brain began to kick in at this point and informed her that while he may be sharing her bed, neither of them was naked; so that ruled out any hanky-panky. Thank God for that! There'd be no need for a desperate rush down to the chemists to get the morning after pill and then them never being able to look each other in the eye again.

And to help things along, they weren't even really _in_ the bed. Instead, they were on top of it and someone had thrown some covers over them. So it was a bit like being a kid again, falling asleep in your clothing.

It also meant that someone had seen them and allowed it to happen. What the…?! She would have words with that someone first thing in the morning. Very angry words.

"Oi, John!" she hissed at him, giving his ribs a prod with her finger. "What are you doing in here? Get back to your own bed."

But he didn't move a muscle. All he did instead was start to lightly snore. Terrific! Just what she needed. Not.

There was a bang out on the landing as someone stumbled out of bed and aimed for the bathroom. She couldn't quite tell who. But she knew she wouldn't budge an inch until they had gone back to bed and she could get rid of John or get out and use his bed herself. IF they ever came out of the bathroom again. What on earth were they doing in there? She only meant to shut her eyes for a little while, since there was nothing else to do while she waited; but as luck would have it, nuzzling into John's back was rather nice as she clutched the bedcovers under her chin, and she soon drifted off back to sleep again.

~O~O~

Luckily, he had gone when she next opened her eyes. Far off, there was the sound of movement downstairs. Things like the telly blaring out the breakfast news, her mother moaning about something, and the kettle going on to make fresh tea. All very normal things.

Right, she told herself as she flung off the temporary covers, time to get this sorted out.

After donning her dressing gown, she made her way down the stairs. From the bottom step she could see through the kitchenette doorway to where John was tucking into his bowl of cereal; and Sylvia was sitting in the front parlour yabbering away on the phone to her friend Suzette. She was relaying what had happened to Donna the night before when she'd got home.

The trouble is, that wasn't all she was saying; and Donna saw red. Unable to take it out on her mother yet, her next available victim was innocently consuming breakfast.

Storming down the short hallway, she swept into the kitchen, closing the door behind her.

"Morning, Donna," he brightly trilled. "How are you feeling?"

She ignored the cautious greeting and went in for the kill. "How am I feeling, you ask? A bit betrayed, possibly assaulted, and completed mad that you spent the whole night in my bed!"

"Ah, about that…," John stammered.

"I don't want to hear your futile excuses. You abused my trust," she stated with a thrust of her finger on each syllable.

"To be fair, my honour was equally at stake," he reasoned, but soon gave up that argument when she slapped him on the arm.

"How could you?! How could you do that to me?" she demanded, wiping away angry tears.

"Because you were in so much pain you passed out and I was frightened to let you go, for even one second," he finally admitted. "You just crumpled into my arms. What was I supposed to do? I took you to bed and laid with you until I was sure you wouldn't… die," he faintly ended. "I'm so sorry," he murmured, his bottom lip trembling. "I meant no harm or bad intentions. All I thought of was getting you to safety, where I could still see you."

"You dumbo," she gasped.

"Am I forgiven?" he wondered. "I did nothing more than hold you, I swear that's all I did."

"Knowing Gramps and Mum and I bet they regularly checked up on me too," she considered.

He nodded. "They put the blankets on us."

"Then I suppose I can let it go, this time," she proclaimed, "but don't do it again."

His sad eyes considered her. "I can't promise that I won't care that much if it happens in the future."

He would have declared more but he daren't risk it after her reaction to them possibly becoming a couple; and subsequently forgetting about it. Instead, he would have to bide his time.

Strange butterflies flittered about in her stomach at his words. Could he really mean what his eyes were promising? Should she believe there could be more between them? This sort of thing didn't normally happen to her. It happened to other people as she stood on the side lines. Watching them get shot, something in her mind added; and she winced at her reaction.

"Just give me some warning," she mumbled, and hurriedly sought through the kitchen cabinets to find a decent painkiller.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** almost done with this one. I think.

* * *

 **Part 6**

.

He would have to force himself to leave her, John decided. For him to stay any longer in the house would risk Donna's headache becoming something more life threatening despite the tentative thread that bound them together. It was a connection that had saved her life so far but her memories had to return to their own pace.

"Pavol from work will be here in a minute to pick me up," John announced, gathering together his personal belongings to pocket in his jeans and rising slowly from his seat.

In her spot by the sink, Donna swallowed down some extra strong painkillers using a glass of water before turning to ask, "Where are you two off to today?"

"Out Heathrow way to pick up some veg, so if you want some cabbage, I'm your man," he stated with a smirk, but she still didn't seem right to his keen senses. Stepping up to her side, he softly wondered, "Are you okay? I don't think you ought to go into work today after the bad night you had."

"I'm fine," she assured him. Why did she allow him to have this effect on her? If she wasn't careful she'd be grabbing him into another hug at any moment. "Strong as an ox; see," she insisted and thumped her chest in demonstration.

He kept his head low. "If you're sure, be careful. And if you need me, just give me a bell. Ranjit will always take a message."

"Stop fussing," she fondly chided.

"Do you…," he stuttered. Just say it, he admonished himself. "Do you remember what I asked you last night on the way home from the pub?"

"No," she admitted in surprise. "What was it?"

"That can wait until later tonight, when I get home." Unable to resist the gesture, he tenderly placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head so that she was forced to focus on him. "Take care of yourself and I'll see you later. Bye."

With that, he went to kiss her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut and she felt his lips land next to her mouth. "See you later," she whispered as she opened her eyes and saw him shyly smile at her.

For a moment she thought he would actually bend forward and properly kiss her, but the moment soon went; and she chided herself for having such a thought. However, it seemed logical to follow him down the hallway and to the front door. And it gave her a very nice view of that backside of his that filled out his jeans so well. Not that she would ever admit to anyone, let alone herself, that she was looking in that direction. It was safer that way.

"Bye then," she called out to him as she waved him off.

Behind her, she could hear and feel her mother pad down the hallway to stand by the hallway table.

"What are you doing at the door, Donna?" Sylvia softly wondered. Normally she would have screeched at her daughter, but these days she was frightened of unbalancing the fragile equilibrium of Donna's mind.

"I'm just seeing John off," Donna answered. "And talking about him, why did you let him sleep in my bed last night?"

"Seemed the logical thing to do," Sylvia responded. She reached forward to shut the front door before Donna could make an embarrassing scene for the neighbours to see. "Don't you remember? You fainted right into his arms, so he carried you up to bed and insisted on staying with you until he knew you were alright. Me and Dad were impressed."

"But he might have done something to me," Donna argued.

"No he wouldn't," Sylvia automatically denied. "He's not the type, and I'd have never let him stay here if he was. It seems to me that he does you good."

Donna had to concede there was some truth in that. "Well, it may be a coincidence, but I've started to remember stuff since he's lived here."

Hope sprung in Sylvia's heart. "Like what?"

"Little bits mainly," Donna confessed, "but this morning, I could remember Dad dying. His last words to me…"

"Oh Donna," Sylvia sympathetically crooned as tears welled up, and gave her daughter a rare huge hug. "That's wonderful news!"

~O~O~

"You have nice girlfriend," Pavol remarked as he pulled away from the Noble household, steering the small white company van down the road.

"Don't let her hear you call her that," John remarked, staring out the window as his repentant thoughts crowded in. He shouldn't have kissed her; he really shouldn't have.

"Is nice though?" Pavol sought to confirm. "Special lady."

"Very special." John then turned to gauge the reaction when he said, "She's my wife."

"I no know you have wife," Pavol commented. "Do you have mistress?"

"Good God no!" John hastily denied. "Whatever makes you think that? And Donna would have my guts for garters if I even considered such a thing. Not that I would. She's more than plenty for me. All that I would ever need."

"You very strange man," Parvol noted.

"I know," John agreed, and thought it was best to leave it at that.

~O~O~

"Sylv quick! Come and look at this!" Wilf desperately called out.

"What is it, Dad? What's happened?" Sylvia demanded as she entered the room and found him on his feet, pointing at the television.

"On the news, it was John. Here, let me rewind it a bit." He picked up the satellite remote and pressed the appropriate buttons. "There he is."

On the screen, a clearly embarrassed John was being interviewed by a reporter near one of Heathrow Airport's long stay car parks. John cautiously held a small child within his arms. Next to him was Pavol standing straight.

"I'm talking to the men who stopped the assailants," the news reporter said to the camera. She then turned to them to ask, "Can you tell us what happened?"

It was soon evident that Pavol was letting John do all the talking. Fortunately John was sympathetic to Pavol's anxiety about his spoken English in such a situation.

"We were driving along when the criminals' van overtook us nearby Terminal 5," John began, "so we followed to see what they were up to. They stopped a short while later to threaten a woman with a baby, in her car, who'd got in their way. And it turns out they were stealing gold bullion."

The reporter's microphone moved closer to him. "How did you stop them?"

John reluctantly supplied, "We threw things at them, knocking them out."

"What did you use?"

Pavol answered proudly, "Carrots."

"Well, I got one bloke with an onion and the driver with a turnip," John added.

The fleeting banner underneath all this described John as an unnamed witness. He'd obviously refused to give it.

"You used a turnip?" the reporter wondered with surprise.

John shrugged dismissively. "One of the health benefits of vegetables," he joked.

The reported didn't laugh. "I understand that the child you are holding is the intended victim."

"Yes, she is." John gave the girl a reassuring hug, and she burrowed into his embrace. "But we made sure she stayed safe."

"You are remarkable men. Thank you. This is Claire Munroe for BBC London News, from Heathrow Airport. Back to you in the studio."

"Didn't he look handsome," Sylvia first commented when the news report finished. "Oh my. Who'd have thought our John would be such a hero?"

"Not surprising considering where he comes from," Wilf remarked. "Stopping bullion thieves is small fry in comparison."

"I suppose so," she conceded. "From what you said Donna told you, a robbery would be a bit boring but a child rescue is right up his street. Which makes you wonder how he copes with that van job of his. It must be driving him round the bend."

"Nice pun, sweetheart."

"I didn't mean..." She chuckled at the coincidence. "But even so, he needs to get a job that uses his brain rather than his ability to lift crates."

"All the more reason to get them down to that fella in Wales," Wilf determined. "Can't we arrange something?"

"We'll talk to Donna about it tonight, and get them to go this weekend," she promised. "John should get paid before then as well. Who knows, perhaps he will earn a reward."

"Or unwanted attention," he commented, horrified at the thought.

"He'll be fine," she assured him with a comforting touch. "He's got Donna to protect him."

They both gave a nod at the truth of this to show their belief Donna and John made a formidable team.

~O~O~

"Tired?" John asked Donna as he deliberately sat down onto the settee next to her.

Tearing her attention away from some celebrity on the television, she admitted, "Just a bit. This latest placement is doing my head in. It's nothing but chasing about."

"Need a cuddle?" he offered, raising an arm. "Come here; put your head on my shoulder."

Wilf and Sylvia shared a knowing look from their armchairs as Donna snuggled into John's body. "Thanks," she murmured, resting her cheek upon his shoulder. "I might stay here a while."

"Take as long as you like, love," he cheerfully replied. Having caught Sylvia's gaze over the top of Donn's head, he gave a cough and added more soberly, "Make yourself comfy. Anyway… how do you fancy having a break somewhere this weekend?"

"Where was you thinking of?"

"A friend I haven't seen for a long time lives down in Cardiff."

She immediately sat up in excitement. "John, you've remembered something!" she exclaimed. "You definitely should go. This means you'll find out loads about your life."

"I want US to go. Will you? Will you come with me?" he eagerly wondered.

How could she turn him down when he turned those expressively animated eyes onto her? "Yeah, alright," she tried to nonchalantly reply. "But how will you pay for it?"

Wilf suddenly went a bit sheepish. "With my credit card. I said he can pay me back later. We booked the rail tickets and room online this afternoon."

"Oh." What else could she have said then that? "When do we leave?"

"First thing Saturday morning," Wilf supplied as he stood and walked over to the mantelpiece. "I'll have to come to the station with you to pick up the tickets." He grabbed a pile of papers from behind a photo before handing the details to her. "You'll stay Saturday night at a Premiere Inn in central Cardiff, and come home Sunday."

Donna eagerly scanned the information on the printed papers handed to her. "It all looks promising. Hang on…" She then threw a glare at John. "One room?!"

"It has twin beds and it was all I could afford," John awkwardly confessed, his face going red with embarrassment. "Gramps has paid for now but I've promised to give him all the money before the bill comes in next month."

"Twin beds, you say," she sought to confirm, waiting for him to nod, and wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt. "You'd better not try anything."

"Promise," he quickly assured her. "Cross my heart… and all of that." He knew better than to deliberately upset her, or accidentally too. "Are you still coming?"

"I might live to regret this, but alright, I'll come," she replied. "But one whiff of nonsense and I'll knock you into next week."

John gulped, remembering the ferocity of her slaps, and then squeaked, "Of course."

~O~O~


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

.

Going away for the weekend should be a welcome break, Donna decided as they both gazed out the train window at the scenery rushing by. It still amazed her that they'd got up, showered, eaten, packed a case, avoided her mother foisting several bags of food onto them, got out the house with Gramps in tow and to Paddington Station by ten o'clock; but they'd done it.

Sitting back in her seat with a sigh, a thought struck Donna. "You still haven't said where exactly your friend lives."

"That's because I don't know," John reluctantly admitted from beside her. "But I do know exactly where he works."

"On a Saturday? Is it a shop of some sort?" Donna quizzed him. For all she knew this could turn out to be a wild goose chase.

"Yes, it's the Tourist Information Centre," he supplied. "Apparently it is down by the bay and near the Millennium Centre."

"Oh, that'd be open on a Saturday," she agreed. "What do we do if he isn't there? We could have still phoned ahead to find out. It would have been easy to find the number on the Internet."

"I know." Even he noted the whine in his voice. "But I thought it'd be a nice weekend away for us whatever happens."

"Anyone would think you're trying to whisk me away on a romantic weekend for two, to hear you talk," she scoffed.

"Perhaps I am," he replied, and loved seeing the shocked expression on her face.

Right up to the point when she whacked him on the arm.

"What are you playing at? If you think…"

Feeling several heads turned in their direction within the carriage, John had to beat off any further embarrassment. He managed to halt her tirade by gently taking her hands in his.

"Donna, my intentions are honourable," he softly began. "I've been meaning to tell you that I would like us to go out together, to perhaps become romantically involved, but if that's not what you want, I won't do anything to harm our friendship. If, however, you like the idea of considering me as your boyfriend or whatever title you want to give me, we will go at your pace."

She bit her lip as she contemplated this news. "And what if that's as fast as a snail on a go slow?"

To her relief, he smiled. "Then that would be okay. You're worth waiting for."

The gooey expression on his face almost turned her insides to jelly. Could she believe him? Suddenly she wanted to test his resolve. "Got any of those cuddles of yours going spare?"

"For you, always," he crooned, lifting up an arm in invitation.

She happily snuggled into him for the rest of the journey and even fell asleep on his shoulder for a short while, having requested that he wake her up in time to see them going over the Severn Bridge. He was merely happy that she was accepting him a bit more, and soaked up the experience. Next thing to achieve was holding her hand as they walked along, and her letting him.

~O~O~

"Oh no, sir. We don't have twin rooms, as such," the hotel receptionist explained about their booking when they got to Cardiff. "You've got a family room which means that there's a double bed and we've made up the settee into a single bed. Most people have their child sleep in the single."

A bit pre-something or other; she'd only just decided to go out with John, let alone told him, for goodness sake! "We'll get by," Donna confidently assured the woman.

When the receptionist cast a confused look at John as he accepted the room key, he quipped, "I'm a bit of a wriggler in bed so we need the extra space. My wife didn't explain that bit."

For a minute or two he thought he'd got away with it, but once the lift doors closed behind them as they headed up to their room, Donna burst out with, "'My wife'? 'My wife'?!"

A deep blush spread all over his face, to the tips of his ears. "It seemed easier to say that, otherwise it looks as though we're having an affair and we've come away for a dirty weekend."

"I bet a dirty weekend was partially on your schedule, Sunshine," she huffed.

Well, he had to admit it _was_ on his wish list, but that's as far as it went. Instead, he gave her a wan smile. "Knowing my luck you'll take one look at my friend Jack and start planning running off with him." He then deliberately avoided looking at her as he opened the door to the room. "This doesn't look too bad," he announced once they stepped in.

"Quite nice really," she approved as she placed herself on the end of the bed. But she easily noticed his disquiet. "This Jack friend of yours, does he normally run off with women?"

He answered with a despondent shrug and lifted her small suitcase onto the bed. "The women I've been friends with, yes. They fall for his charms all the time."

Several emotions hit her at once. "And what makes you think that'll apply to me?"

'Because you have made a beeline for Jack before,' he silently answered as he grabbed up his overnight bag to empty. That moment in the TARDIS continued to haunt him. What if she still preferred Jack? And how would he ever cope if she left him?

When he finally stopped bustling about with his bag contents and looked at her, Donna continued, "You'll probably think this is weird but I always manage to see you flanked by young, pretty women who fall over your every word. Not in real life, obviously; just whenever I think about you."

He gasped in surprise and leaned on the dressing table top. She was evidently remembering more, but the details about him were blocked. "Why ever would that happen?"

"Because you have this geeky charm," she confessed; more to support her mental image rather than compliment him. "I'm sure you could get any woman you like."

"Does that include you?" he cheekily wondered.

"Geroff!" she laughed. "Be careful or your head will swell so much you'll have trouble getting out the door."

"Good job I've got you with me to keep me in check," he teased back, "since I intend to do some impressing this weekend. That's you I shall be trying to impress, by the way, in case you weren't sure."

"We shall see," she answered. But there was a glimmer in her eyes that suggested he might succeed.

"On that note, I'd better make us some tea," he offered, and went to fill the electric kettle the hotel had supplied.

~O~O~

It hadn't taken them too long to walk the distance from the hotel down to the bay. Every step closer caused John to feel agitated. This encounter could go wrong in so many ways.

So when he took hold of Donna's hand, she didn't fight him, but gave the comfort he so obviously craved. She even added in a faint back rub when they stood on the Plass contemplating taking the final steps that would take them inside the Tourist Information Centre.

"Ready?" she asked him.

He took in a deep breath and nodded that he was. This was it; the moment of truth, he geed himself up by thinking. Tightening his grip on her hand, he reached out to push open the door.

The interior was darker than he anticipated, but John easily recognised Ianto Jones standing behind the shop counter. Did the man recognise him in return? There was only one way to find out.

"Hello," John exchanged greetings with the Welshman. "We were wondering if Jack is about."

Ianto took in the appearance of the man and woman in front of him. They looked similar to the last time he had seen them on the subwave network, but there were marked differences. In particular, the unshaven Doctor wore jeans and a light grey sweatshirt instead of his usual suit, and Donna was hanging onto his hand as though she feared he would try to escape. "Let me see if he is available. Excuse me for a moment." He dipped through a doorway and less than a minute later Jack followed him out.

"Why, hello," Jack practically purred at them. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" He then realised that he wasn't getting back much feedback or recognition. "So,... Have we met yet?" Jack cautiously asked. He was ready for this to be a meeting earlier in the Doctor's time line than being on the Crucible.

If Donna hadn't been so taken aback by the appearance of the handsome American she'd have been more aware of the stilted conversation going on. But as it was, she felt her hackles rise. There was just something plain wrong about the man; it made her eyes hurt.

"We have," John replied. "We met at university. Hopefully you still remember me. And this is Donna."

"You'll have to excuse my husband but he's really nervous about us meeting you," she stated and then winced against the effect of looking at Jack directly.

Husband?! What the hell was going on here? Jack forced himself to beam a wide smile. "I didn't know you got married. This needs celebrating."

"Is there somewhere we can go to talk in private? A tearoom or something close by," John queried. "I have some explaining to do."

"Of course," Jack allowed and nodded to Ianto to get to a computer surveillance terminal. "Follow me." He strode off at a quick pace.

"Husband?" John murmured to Donna in an aside as they walked.

"Well, you did it earlier so I thought I'd get you back," she whispered. "It seemed to make sense. And he makes me feel really weird. Like it's painful to look at him."

That meant the Time Lord aspect of her biology was emerging a bit more, and it both worried and excited John. Any moment now she could remember everything and reach her full potential. The downside was that he might not be enough for her anymore and she'd seek out the Doctor.

He quickly decided he would stop fretting and cross that bridge when they came to it. For now, his main worry was gaining access to some money to support their future lifestyle.

~O~O~


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

.

They were slowly led by Jack towards a little café a short walk away; near a place that looked suspiciously like a Greggs.

"Okay," Jack opened with as they walked along a couple of steps away from the Tourist Information Centre, "you can tell me what this is all about."

"I should have phoned first but I don't have your number," John began, halting by the bay side railings to speak more clearly. "The thing is, I need your help. I've been unable to access the money in my bank account or work in a normal job because I can't prove who I am. I arrived here with nothing."

"Nothing?" Jack queried, staring at John in confusion.

"He turned up on our doorstep looking half-starved and dressed like a refugee." Donna then grinned ruefully. "Sorry, I promised to keep quiet."

John went to assure her that she was allowed to talk but Jack suddenly stilled and clasped his finger to his right ear. "What's that, Ianto? A strange reading, you say?" His hand then moved downwards as he considered pulling out his gun from the holster beneath his overcoat.

As he turned his gaze onto the bay water behind them, a large creature the size of a double-decker bus pulled itself out of the water. Its skin was the colour of a thunderous sky, and its mouth opened wide to show an impressive row of razor sharp teeth.

Several people nearby screamed and ran. The creature didn't seem concerned about them. Instead, its head moved about as though it was sniffing out its prey, and then it aimed straight for John and Donna.

Instinctively, she stepped in front of John. "Don't you harm him," she yelled; right before it grabbed her within it powerful jaws.

"Donna!" John shrieked, to no avail.

Before Jack could fire a shot, Donna cried out. She had seen Jack do that stance before. She knew that John had been in a similar position where she'd stepped in front of him; there were strange creatures flitting about in her memory. Flying, fire breathing, tentacled strange animals that didn't belong to this planet. "What are those things I can see? It hurts!" she wailed.

"Let her go, Cryathon!" John demanded.

At exactly the same moment, she wriggled about in the animal's huge mouth as strong beams of light suddenly burst from her body.

"What's happening?" Jack yelled.

"Get down! Don't touch her!" John warned him.

The glow rapidly grew stronger; intensifying, then… BOOM! A wave of golden energy surged from her body, vaporising the creature instantly and leaving the two men stunned.

Once he had recovered, Jack raced over to check on the fallen John. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm alright. We'll have to see if Donna has suffered any ill effects. She might be out for a while," John explained, standing up straighter. "The Doctor gave his best friend a defence mechanism to ward off any unwanted attention when he wiped her mind."

"He wiped her mind?" Jack echoed, unable to believe such a thing had occurred. "Then you are…?"

"The metacrisis version," John introduced himself. "Nice to meet you again." He then hunched down to assess Donna. "Come on, love, let's get you off this cold concrete."

"Here, let me," Jack offered, easily lifting Donna into his arms. "We'll take her back to the hub."

"Erm, scrub that thought," John halted him. "Just in case she does more than knock us out, we'd better take her back to our hotel room."

"Sharing a room? You old dog!"

"Jack!" John blushed. "You don't understand; it's complicated."

"As in married complicated," Jack teased.

~O~O~

The hotel receptionist had been more than surprised to see them carry Donna through the front door. "Has there been an accident? Should I call an ambulance?"

"No, it's fine," John assured her. "She has this medical condition and merely passed out."

"I can easily get a doctor," the receptionist tried again.

"Thank you for your help," Jack schmoozed, "but we have it under control. After a nap she'll be perfectly fine."

But Jack waited until they had reached the hotel room and laid Donna down on the bed before he demanded any answers. "How long will she be out for the count?"

"A few hours yet," John replied, "So you ask your burning questions now."

"You mentioned a mind wipe. Why? How? And what was that defence mechanism? Does the Doctor know about this?"

"Phew! The hard ones first," John commented to himself.

Jack sternly considered John. "What the hell possessed you to appear on the national news?"

"Ah, you heard about that," John sheepishly replied, giving his neck a comforting rub. "It wasn't intentional but I couldn't get out of it. Sorry."

"You'll be sorry when more dangerous people discover you thanks to that little bit of showing off," Jack unkindly retorted.

John huffed a heartfelt sigh. "I bet you'd never say that to _him_ ," he mumbled. He then defiantly lifted his head to glare at Jack. "So what if I do? It wouldn't be exactly wizard, but I'm sure I'd cope."

It became clearer still in that moment to Jack that the man standing in front of him wasn't the Doctor. He'd hardly gained the chance to learn the differences in this metacrisis version back when they'd left the Crucible. "As you can tell, my team has dwindled down recently, but we'll do our best to help you. The both of you."

"Thanks," John gratefully acknowledged. "I need proof I exist so that I can earn money. Ideally you'd be able to contact UNIT for me and gain access to the Doctor's bank account."

"That's his money."

"It is also mine, remember," John chided. "I used to be a part of him, and he hardly needs the cash, whereas I am in danger of going insane if I have to lump about many more crates of vegetables to earn a few bob."

"I'll contact Martha at UNIT for you," Jack promised. "And we'll arrange something for ID purposes."

"Thank you, Jack. I owe you," John gratefully acknowledged as Donna slumbered on.

"And what about Donna? What's the 'complicated' you mentioned earlier?" Jack asked.

"You have to understand that when Donna became the Doctor Donna, taking in a Time Lord consciousness, we became bonded. In essence, we are married. But the Doctor broke his end of the bond when he wiped Donna's memories of him; of us, to save her life," John brokenly worded. "You've already seen the power of the energy left in her mind. If she remembers when she shouldn't, that energy will burn her up in an instant. And I can't let that happen. Without her, I die too."

To be honest, Jack didn't know what to make of this situation. "Can you stop it happening?"

"As long as I help her regain her memories slowly, she can survive," John confidently replied. "She deserves to know what she achieved."

"I'll contact Martha at UNIT to see if we can get you some funds," Jack promised. "And we should be able to get you a birth certificate and National Insurance Number, among other things, before you leave tomorrow. When Donna wakes up later, ring me and we'll go out to eat. My treat."

The relieved smile he received was worth every penny.

~O~O~

Donna woke up in a strange bed. A double bed, mind you; with a man lying next to her. With a sigh of relief, she saw that it was John snoozing by her side. Thank god for that! For a moment she thought she had had a one night stand with a complete stranger.

"This is getting to be a habit," she murmured; and his eyes instantly opened.

"Morning," he trilled. "Did you sleep alright?"

"I think so. How long was I out for this time?"

"Not too long. Only a couple of hours."

"That's a relief."

"Are you hungry yet? I've arranged for us to have dinner with Jack when you are."

"Just give a chance to wake up properly. Care to explain why you are in with me again?"

"Ah. Well. You see, you had a bit of a funny turn again this afternoon, so we brought back here."

"'We'?! Who's 'we'?" she demanded to know.

"Me and Jack." Seeing the sheer horror flood her face, he quickly put in, "No no no. Not like that. He merely helped me get you here, in the room. You were more than a bit out of it and I know I've gained some muscles lately but not that many. So he left you on the bed then buggered off."

"Are you trying to say I'm fat, in a backhanded roundabout way?"

"Definitely not," he answered, risking a grin. "You're just right; in that respect."

She gave a scorn-filled huff. "Why don't I believe you?"

"No idea," he remarked, scooting closer, "but you certainly should." And then he pressed a pleased kiss onto her temple. "You're lovely."

"Prawn," she fondly chided. "What are you doing?" she wondered as he stayed very close to her body.

He reached out to tenderly remove a stray hair from her face, adding in a caress to her cheek. "Am I right to presume you are officially going out with me?"

"Might be," she laughed, pleased with his hopeful expression. When he tipped his head forward so that their lips got closer, she muttered, "In all likelihood."

"Good," he sighed, and kissed her gently on the mouth. "Mmm, really good," he approved; and then dipped again to kiss her for longer.

"And no anchovies to spoil it," she added before kissing him back with gusto.

~O~O~


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

.

It had been arranged that Jack would pick them up from the hotel and drive them to Ianto's home for a meal. And considering a last minute call out for Torchwood to deal with some stray Weevils, it became a take away meal rather than a home-cooked one.

"Sorry for the bought in food but we were worried you wouldn't call us," Jack apologised when he arrived at the hotel main entrance with the SUV. "Are you feeling okay, Donna?"

"Much better, thanks," she answered.

"Glad to hear it." He noted, "You still look a bit flushed."

"That's because I had a hot shower to wake me up," she trilled, blushing despite her best efforts not to. "Aren't you going to sit in the front?" she asked John when he didn't climb into the passenger seat next to Jack but joined her in the back. It was almost the law that blokes push themselves to take the front seat.

"Seeing as you've not been well, I thought I'd sit with you," he replied, a cheeky grin on his face. "Never know when you might need me."

So she swatted his arm.

Leaning in close, he whispered, "You do know that Ianto thinks we're married, don't you?"

"Why would he do that?"

"Because you said so, right in front of him."

"Oh yes," she remembered. "That means the odd kiss, lots of arguments and no sex."

"Too late for that," he breathed into her ear, adding in a giggle.

So she hit him again.

From his position in the driver's seat, Jack merely smiled in amusement. Perhaps this would be an entertaining evening after all.

~O~O~

"So tell me, Donna," Ianto requested as he replenished their wine glasses, "how did you two meet?"

"He rescued me," she automatically answered, and then clamped a hand over her mouth in surprise. "Hang on, that's wrong. Sorry. Gramps brought him home from his allotment." Except it didn't _feel_ wrong. Not at all. "But he has rescued me from my mum."

"I just smile at her," John dismissed, "nothing more. I can't help it if she adores me."

Jack raised a sceptical eyebrow. Normally, companions' mothers hated the sight of him, for putting their daughters in danger; and he presumed Donna's mother had felt the same. "Using the old charm?"

John opened his mouth to agree but Donna instantly added, "More like used his starving stomach to win her over. She does like to feed a man up."

"Well…" John considered denying this, but it was probably closer to the truth. "Sylvia Noble is an excellent cook." He smiled good-naturedly when they all laughed.

"I think such honesty deserves a reward," Jack commented, standing up. He crossed to a nearby wall unit and picked up an envelope before returning to the table where they'd sat and ate. "Here you go, John; those replica documents you wanted."

John's face lit up in glee. "You mean you managed to find them already? Oh Jack! I could kiss you! But I won't," he exclaimed, and aimed the last bit towards Ianto.

Fortunately, Ianto waved it off. "It's Jack so I'm used to it."

"Even so, it isn't nice when someone else muscles in on your partner."

"What about me?" Donna pretended to grumble. "Anyone going to feel sorry for me being neglected?"

"You, Sweetheart," John answered, lifting up her hand to hold lovingly between his own, "get the ultimate prize. You get to go home with me!"

"If I'd have known that's all I was going to get, I'd have risked all and done the Lottery," she joked, and gained approving laughter from both Jack and Ianto.

~O~O~

"I really like Jack and Ianto," Donna enthused the following evening on the way home. They'd just walked passed the sign at the end of their road; having travelled by train, Tube and bus. "When you think about it, they needn't have given us the grand tour earlier."

"Or paid for us everywhere we went," John agreed. "We'll have to invite them up to London and reciprocate, when we can."

"Is that when you've earned squillions of pounds a year?" she partially teased, grasping his arm with her own.

"At least I have the chance now. Shame Jack couldn't contact anyone who had my bank details, but you can't have everything."

"Are you sure?" She then gushed, "Because I've got you."

He readily kissed her and then immediately spoilt it by saying, "That needs a note in my diary. It's not every day you compliment me."

"Careful," she playfully warned, "or I'll tell Mum and Gramps that hotel room didn't have twin beds after all."

"Now don't be hasty," he returned in kind as they approached the front garden of their home. "I'd like to keep my head attached to my stomach via my throat, thanks very much."

She merely smiled whimsically at him as she opened the door, and the voice of Sylvia filtered out to them from the front parlour. "Sounds like she's on the phone to Suzette. You go put the kettle on while I ask Mum if she wants any tea," she quietly suggested.

"I'll find Gramps to ask."

They then nodded at each other and he made his way towards the kitchen, leaving her to make her offer of tea.

Seconds later she stormed into the kitchen like a blazing Fury. He turned from filling the kettle at the sink, in confusion.

"Out with it," Donna demanded, hands planted on hips, "why did Mum tell Suzette that you're my husband?"

"Pardon!" he gasped.

"I've just overheard her saying we'd gone down to Cardiff for the weekend; that I'd gone with my HUSBAND! Of all the things she could have said."

"Oh! Erm…" Caught like a cornered rabbit, John muttered, "Perhaps it's just her being her. You how she gets about you providing her with grandchildren one day."

"No, this is different," she insisted. "Her normal thing is me bagging a bloke, not suddenly boasting I've gone and done it already."

"Well..," he tried to reason. "Not to be immodest or anything, but she might like me that much."

"Don't talk wet! She's never approved of anybody. Even the King of England wouldn't be good enough for her."

"All the potential candidates ARE already married, so she'd have a point," he pondered. "But I know what you mean, having lived with her. And not in the biblical sense...," he bumbled.

Suddenly, what he'd been saying made sense, so Donna calmly take a step closer to thoughtfully regard him. "You're right, you know. She's acted all different around you ever since you entered the house the second time. We won't count the night with the planets."

"Of course," he agreed. Thank goodness he wouldn't have to pretend that he knew anything about that visit. "Never happened."

"It's just weird to think of her liking you or anyone enough to actually approve," she continued, still staring at him. "Either she's had a complete personality transplant or you've got one over her. But I can't think how you'd find something to blackmail her with. Unless..."

"Unless what?" he queried.

"No, that's daft," she insisted, shaking her head in denial. "That'd mean we were secretly married. You and me; actually married. I mean, married and I can't remember it. Something as important as that happening during those missing years. How insane is that?"

He huffed in mild annoyance. "I have my good points," he defended himself.

"I'm not saying that you don't, you prawn," she allowed, "but how can you marry someone and not know it? I know I've lost a wodge of memories, but you'd think something like that would stick."

"It was a traumatic injury, bad enough to wipe away the best of memories."

"The best of times," she faintly uttered.

It was happening again. Fiery pain burst across her body, contorting each muscle as her mind screamed in agony. She leaned forward and thrust her fingers upwards into her hair to grab hold of her skull; desperate to find some small way to halt the burning tide.

"Donna!" he cried as she clutched her head in obvious pain.

"I can see creatures. What are they?" she rasped out. "I should know them like I know who you really are."

"No, don't think about it. Think of your mother instead. DONNA!"

A golden light skittered across her skin and her eyes began to glow. "John, help me," she whimpered; right before the world changed to black all around her.

~O~O~

"Ah, there you are. Nice to see you back with us," a nurse pleasantly greeted Donna when she spotted her attempting to sit up.

"What," Donna feebly worded. Her eyes darted about, seeking out something familiar, and only finding the stark clinical lines of a small hospital room. "Why am I lying on a hospital bed?"

"You came into A&E about three or four hours ago, having collapsed at home. We've got you in Medical Assessment, in isolation; just in case. We don't want anything nasty affecting you unnecessarily after all you've been through. Can't have been easy for you. Now there's no need to worry," the nurse assured her as she picked up Donna's wrist to measure her heart rate. "These things happen in your condition. Doctor has been down to check you out and everything's fine. I'll go and tell your husband that you're awake, and then we'll check your blood pressure again before we let you go."

"You what?" Donna managed to gasp, but the woman had already left her alone. As soon as John appeared nervously in the door way, holding a vending machine cup of coffee, she glared at him. "You have a lot of explaining to do, Sunshine! Husband indeed."

"About that," he began, "it wasn't deliberate but they wouldn't let me stay with you otherwise. It was easier to let them think that we're married, and that you're… erm…"

"What exactly?" she goaded him. "This I have got to hear."

"Pregnant," he mumbled.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

.

"Pregnant!" she hissed back at him. "You told them I'm pregnant. That takes the biscuit. Of all the things you could have picked, you just **had** to go for that one, didn't you."

"Well, it IS a possibility," he tried to argue.

That hurt more than it should have done or had any right to be. "It's also a possibility that I'm the Queen of Sheba, but for some reason that one didn't enter your head."

"Taking into account all the possibilities would have been a pointless exercise in the circumstances," he commented on a sniff, placing himself down onto the sole chair next to the bed. "As it is, I had to come up with a plausible excuse why you collapsed in the way you did."

Her mouth open and closed a few times. "Okay, I agree you covered all the facts."

"Thank you." He sat back with some satisfaction.

Okay, his expression should not have amused her, but it did. "But it doesn't explain why I glowed bright yellow."

"No. Ah…," he stammered. "Well, the thing is… erm.."

"I'm teasing you. I know why, you div!"

He sat forward again. "You do?"

Time to drop her bombshell. "Of course," she smugly proclaimed. "I remember. And when I say I remember, I mean everything, including who you are, Earthboy."

"What! But… No, you can't. Really?" He grinned with delight. "That is amazing! I thought you probably would but I couldn't be sure." Then he was visibly struck by her saddening expression. "What's wrong? Why aren't you pleased?"

In a strained voice, she gasped out, "Why d'you think? Apart from the betrayal and being dumped, I lost so much."

"But I found you," he stressed.

She huffed a sad laugh. "Are you sure that's what you wanted?" she queried. "Last time I knowingly saw you, you were running after a young blonde on a foreign beach, promising your life away."

"Ah, about that…"

"Don't even bother explaining," she dismissed his possible answer, holding up a hand to halt his words. "It doesn't really matter but I was right about you getting the booby prize." Her face crumpled with grief, and she quickly folded her knees up to her chest, hiding her tears behind her hands. "I've really gone and done it now, haven't I. Enslaved you in a marriage you'd never have chosen, binding you to me just to stay alive, and I can't even pretend you fancied me. Still," she sniffed, wiping her hand across her nose, "at least I saved poor Shaun from a fate worse than death."

Now seething, John bit out, "Who is Shaun?"

Without managing to look at him, Donna supplied, "The bloke down near the council offices who asked me out, soon after you showed up. It didn't seem right to say 'yes' while we were sorting you out."

"How would I make such a difference?" he bitterly and somewhat sarcastically wondered.

"Oh, you know," she reasoned. "The bond thingamajig stopped me from seriously considering him. I know that now that my memory is almost all back; and all of yours… _his_ has gone where it belongs."

There was a flurry of movement as she sought out a fresh paper tissue from the box on the bedside cabinet to blow her nose. And John watched her with fear in his heart that took away his ability to breathe for a second and left a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. Was he being rejected again?

"Don't you want me?" he quietly asked.

Her head snapped up to gaze at him. "I'm not saying that. After all, I was willing to travel in the TARDIS for the rest of my life with the Doctor. If I couldn't stand to stay with him I certainly wouldn't have considered it. Everything is ditto for you."

"But just as a friend."

"John, it's unfair of you to expect me to feel undying love for you when it'd only be unrequited. Bloody selfish, now that I think about it. After all, when you first got here you went on about your undying love for your ex; and…" She gave a laugh that was nowhere near humorous. "…it was Rose all along. The person even Martha was made to feel ugly against. Martha - who has brains as well as beauty. Oh, and I mustn't forget youth. Both of them have bags of it. Unlike me." Her nose was given another ferocious wipe with a tissue. "I should be beyond annoyed with you for acting as though you cared about me. You'd make a fantastic actor, by the way. Had me convinced until now."

This wasn't getting him anywhere if she didn't believe him or could see the truth. It needed a different tactic. "Then why aren't you angry?" he risked wondering.

Her stern gaze was directed at him. "Perhaps I'm finding this all a bit overwhelming, you know, suddenly gaining back the heartache of the last few years. All that I did and achieved, plus having Fate laugh at me. I mean, I've always wanted the normal things other people manage to get, like someone to share a life with, a home, and the promise of a family. Well look at me now! A husband, the prospect of money, a dead daughter, and the rest of my life needing you in it if I don't want to face dropping down dead every time my old friend is mentioned. How wizard!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands in despair. "Be careful what you wish for because you'll get it, they say; and didn't that come true."

"Donna, try and calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down!" she raged. "You're not the one that's been tricked into a situation that will mock you every single day of your life. For all I know you're only here as a survival strategy. I've heard of friends with benefits but this is bloody ridiculous!"

"I'm innocent here too," he gently reminded her. That right hand of hers was swaying awfully close to his head. Far too close for comfort. "I need you."

"Yes, I got that bit, thanks very much," she spat. "Life or death; and a quick jolly."

"Now look here, it wasn't a 'jolly'," he finally snapped. "You are not the only injured party! I was dumped like a bag of jumble that was up for grabs, and got almost killed for my pains while saving the universe. Everyone I have been close to has rejected me. Rose, the Doctor, you…"

"I never rejected you!" she interrupted. "What are you doing here if that happened? Tell me that!"

His eyes bulged in anger. "Then what do you call this?! You're not exactly putting out the welcome mat. All you're doing is pushing me away."

"I'm not, you blithering idiot. I'm trying to give you space, not pander to your ego." She averted her gaze. "You deserve better than me," she quietly finished. "With someone of your own choosing."

With a strangled cry, he got up and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her hands in his. "Donna, I cannot believe you think I don't want you," he wetly stated. "I was duped into thinking I loved her, for a short while, but it turns out she didn't want my sacrifice. Didn't even want _me_ and was willing to risk using the cannon again, so I destroyed it and came looking for you, the only person who had really cared. And guess what?"

"What?" she inevitably asked.

"My plan to be your best friend again backfired on me," he confessed. "I fell in love."

"You did?" she whispered in awe.

"I did," he confirmed, fervently nodding. "When we get home I'm telling your mum we are sleeping together from now on."

"My mum? A bit sick, don't you think, you and Mum." A mischievously glint was obvious in her eyes. "You going after her like that. Unless you've always fancied being a toy boy, of course."

In answer, he narrowed his eyes to give her a withering look. "Not your mother. With you."

"Oh I see," she feigned ignorance. "That makes more sense."

"I thought so." Feeling the need to convince her a bit more, he continued, "We don't want to worry about the glowing coming back anymore."

She forced herself to grimace. "And there was me thinking you wanted to continue sharing a bed with me after our weekend away together."

"There is that too, considering we're married."

"Not yet we ain't," she countered. "We're bonded; that's different."

His mood immediately brightened with hope. "So you want to marry me?"

"Depends if you're asking or not."

"So what do you say?" he offered and then cleared his throat. "Make an honest man of me, Donna. Let me love you with all my heart and declare it to the whole universe. Because when I say I love you, I really do. Will you properly marry me?"

Talk about a no-brainer. "Yes!" she cried, launching herself into his arms.

Outside the door, the nurse awkwardly avoided walking in just yet. Let them have their moment, she decided, especially as she held within her hands the blood test result that confirmed whether or not the husband's assumption that his wife was pregnant was correct.

~O~O~


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** I've probably left out something important, but I'll fix that after this migraine has buggered off.

* * *

 **Part 11**

.

Everywhere you looked, people were rushing about the market, frantically buying Christmas presents or hoarding provisions for the holiday. Things were hotting up, in more ways than one, and Wilf was gasping for a cup of tea. Close to spitting feathers, he was. So with that in mind, he headed towards one of his favourite places to get one and perhaps grab a bite to eat. Sylvia needn't know what exactly if he was careful enough about it.

As he neared the appropriate market burger stall, he bumped into a familiar figure. "Oh my word!" Wilf exclaimed. "Is that you, Doctor? I've been looking for you."

"Hello Wilf," the Doctor cautiously greeted him. "Nice to see you too. How did you manage to find me?"

"Just lucky, I guess," Wilf dismissed.

"No. People don't get that lucky. Not usually," the Doctor countered. "Only you and Donna have found me when you wanted to."

"Ah. She did help a bit," Wilf admitted, shuffling on the spot. "Knowing where you might be led me here."

His eyes went wide with terror. "How did she know? Is she remembering? You mustn't let her even attempt it!" he cried.

"It's alright," Wilf tried to calm him down, flagging his hands downwards. "She's okay now. Everything's fine now that she's got him."

"Him?!" the Doctor near shrieked, and then forcibly stilled his rampant hearts. If he lost control now they'd all be doomed. "What do you mean by 'him', Wilf?"

"John, her husband," Wilf willingly supplied. "Well, he'll be her legal husband soon, once they've saved up a few bob for the wedding. Thanks to that Jack fella, he can earn a decent wage now."

"Hang on a tick," the Doctor halted him, frowning in evident confusion. "Are you saying Jack risked her life by contacting her fiancé?"

"No, I'm saying it was the other way around. John sought out Jack, the other weekend. Ever so grateful he was too. It's made a world of difference to their finances," Wilf chattered on. "It was a bit hairy for a while, humping about crates of veg to earn a pound or two, but what was John supposed to do when he couldn't get to your bank account."

"My bank…," the Doctor echoed and then stood flummoxed for some seconds. "You'll have to explain, my old friend, why Donna's fiancé would even think he was entitled to help himself to my money."

"Well, you see," Wilf began, giving the tip of his nose a faint rub, "being you, he thought he was." At that moment relief filled Wilf as he spied the man in question in the distance, walking innocently along the packed pavement. "There's John. You can ask him yourself."

Swivelling instantly, the Doctor spied his doppelgänger. "No, it can't be," he murmured. "But he wasn't supposed to be here. I left him somewhere safe; with Rose."

"He didn't think so," Wilf retorted, even though the comment hadn't been directed at him. "You should have seen the state of him when he turned up in my allotment. Close to starving, he was."

Still watching the approaching man, the Doctor wondered, "Is he good to her? Is she happy?"

"Yes. They're getting married soon," Wilf readily volunteered. "In a couple of days sort of soon."

"When?"

"Christmas Eve," Wilf stated. "They said they might as well use their nearest anniversary to make it legal. Not that I know what they're on about, but they know what they're doing."

The Doctor made a snap decision. "I have to go."

Nonplussed, Wilf called out after him, "Doctor, you will be there, won't you? You're the only true family he has."

"He's got you now," the Doctor called back; "he doesn't need me."

"Please. For Donna," Wilf tried again, but gained no reply.

~O~O~

The wedding was quite a quiet affair; especially compared to Donna and Lance's non-wedding. But in truth, she was happier this time around.

It was going to merely be the church service, followed by them going back to the house. Drinks would be offered to help celebrate the nuptials; but nothing on the grand scale of before. The dress from the previous attempt had been cleaned, mended and added to with little touches to make the day more meaningful. To John's undying relief and gratitude, Ianto, Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, Sky and Luke had turned up to fill part of his side of the church. Jack was his best man, and Wilf was giving away Donna.

Of course, Nerys had sneered when she'd walked into the church and spotted him by the altar, next to the front pew; but he'd been expecting it. Had even added in a cheery wave in her direction, for fun. He knew Donna would have appreciated it. And he'd shaved off the scruff. Well, he didn't need facial hair to hide behind anymore, and his new job rather frowned upon it. As long as he could earn enough money to marry Donna he was happy. Everything else could wait until later.

It also didn't matter that he knew what Donna looked like in the dress, because this time she was wearing it just for him, as his bride. That thought still sent a warm tingle through him. A wife and family all in one go.

Outside the church, Donna was chomping at the bit; keen to get the ceremony over with. If anyone were to ask her how he kissed, she would have said a bit like a sink plunger. You see, the thing is, whatever he did, he did it with out-and-out passion. He didn't just kiss her mouth, he invaded it, feasted upon her succulent fruits, converted the natives and resolved all issues in one go. In fact, kissing him was the best experience of her life, without a doubt. It was wonderful! And the thought that those talented lips would soon be hers for the taking fair made her mouth water. Other parts of her body were affected too, because he was THAT delicious.

But for all that, she still felt that his heart could only truly beat for one woman, and that woman wasn't her. If she asked him, he'd probably say that she was the one he loved in _this_ universe; which would leave a girl in the alternate universe remaining in a very special position. In fact, Donna was steeling herself for the impact of this knowledge once their wedding vows were spoken and their marriage bond deepened as far as it could go. Knowing for certain you are second best, that the person you love is merely making do, is dreadfully painful.

At the church doors she hesitated, and clasped Wilf's arm more firmly to gain strength from his presence. "You alright, Sweetheart?" he asked her with concern. "Not like you to get cold feet."

"You're right, Gramps. I love him and can't wait to be his bride," she admitted. "But sometimes I wonder if I'm enough for him."

Inevitably, Wilf waved it off. "Of course you'd have a slight wobble this late in the day, but you need to remember, John crossed a universe and then the whole of London by foot to find you. Me and your mum saw his face when he first set eyes on you. Oh my! It gladdened the heart, I can tell you. We knew he wouldn't stop until he had gained your hand in marriage."

Fortunately, the Wedding March started up, and her attention focused on walking down the aisle, passed a handful of people, to the waiting handsome man up by the vicar.

"You do know that I love you, don't you," John leaned close and whispered into Donna's ear as he took her hands in his.

"Yes," she answered, but the image of a stolen kiss on a windblown beach refused to leave her mind.

Suspecting this, he immediately gave her the sweetest kiss he could muster.

The vicar coughed in exasperation. "Any kiss should be reserved for when the ceremony has finished," he pointed out.

"Sorry," John muttered, not feeling apologetic at all. His bride had needed his reassurance, so he had given it.

~O~O~

It was when the wedding photos started to be taken that the Doctor came out from the shadows of the church porch and approached Sylvia and Wilf. "You made it," Wilf proclaimed in glee. "Donna and John will be so chuffed."

"Don't tell them I'm here," the Doctor begged. He reached into his pocket and brought out an envelope. "Give them this, from me and Donna's dad."

Before Sylvia could do little more than gasp in surprise, a bridal blur forced its way pass.

"Oh no you don't!" Donna thundered towards him. "You don't get to leg it and avoid me on my wedding day, Doctor."

"But…" He stood stunned for a moment or two. "I was just giving your wedding present to Wilf for safe keeping."

She took the envelope from Wilf's hand. "Lottery ticket, is it? No doubt a winning one too. Thanks very much." She then stuffed the envelope into the safety of her cleavage. "I'd be a bit more grateful if I didn't feel as though you were buying me off. Never mind, me and my husband won't be taking you to court to sue your backside off. Especially as you've hardly got a suit to stand up in."

Sylvia and Wilf had quietly melted away to let them have their reunion, having felt it was best that way; especially when John deliberately sauntered over too.

"It's a bit battered," the Doctor admitted as he gave John a welcoming nod, and then shook his hand when he was near enough. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," John warily replied. "Is this just a social visit or…?"

"Just popping by," the Doctor hastily supplied.

Donna was still peering intently at him in concern. "You look dreadful. What on earth have you been doing to yourself? Are you even eating properly?"

"I'm… Oh Donna," the Doctor near whimpered, sucking in a breath. "I made a few mistakes."

"You are coming back to the house with us," she proclaimed, taking possessive hold of his arm. "No buts. You are family. There'll be plenty for you to eat, friends for you to talk to, and a bed should you want to stay the night."

The Doctor shared a look with John. "She's still the same, I see."

"You know our Donna," John boasted, grinning.

"Come on," she encouraged the Doctor, "Come and have your photo taken with us."

He tried to stop her guiding him away, but she wasn't having it. "I don't think I should."

"If you don't find the guts to have your photo taken with us, on our wedding day of all days," she threatened, "I shall personally make sure you never enter your TARDIS again."

"Better do as she says," John advised. "Things work out alright when you do."

"Tell me about it," the Doctor mumbled; but he happily let her manoeuvre him into a photo pose on the church lawn.

"I want a photo done with him and him," Donna ordered the photographer, who immediately obliged. "And now us with all our friends," she added, beckoning forward Jack, Sarah Jane and Martha, in particular.

Soon all the Children of Time and their associates were smiling for the camera.

"Why are you doing this?" the Doctor stage whispered.

"To prove to you that you now have family," Donna retorted. "And don't you forget it."

~O~O~

He had to admit, this being part of a family again wasn't too bad. The Doctor had had quite a pleasant chat with all of his former companions there with their partners, and Sarah Jane's children were a joy to be around. Plus, there was Donna and John, his progeny. Who would have thought him being back in this universe would have healed Donna? As he sipped his drink, he had to wonder how he had missed that possibility.

"No feeling guilty," Donna warned him as she slipped up to his side.

"How did you know?" he wondered, amazed at her intuition.

She tapped her head. "There's still a little bit in there. A residual left over from John."

"I'm so sorry," he began. "I didn't know he was key to your health otherwise I would never have let him leave."

"You did the right thing," she assured him, resting a consoling hand on his arm. "He went to Pete's World and destroyed the dimension cannon, just as you wanted him to."

Dare he ask the question? "What about Rose?" he quietly asked.

"She didn't want him when she thought she could still get back to you. They started firing up the dimension cannon again, so he had no choice. Good job you gave him that piece of coral; that was how he escaped."

"And what about you Donna Smith?"

"Donna Smith-Noble," she corrected. "I've got a life with a man I love who thinks I'm brilliant." She then gave him a measured look. "I assume all this socialising is part of your farewell tour."

He nodded. She knew so well, even now. "And you have your own adventure to look forward to."

"What was that, Doctor?" John asked as he joined them and wrapped a possessive arm around Donna's waist. "I hope you aren't trying to steal her away."

"No." He then forced himself to smile and shake John's hand again. "Congratulations on the baby, by the way."

"How did you know? We've only just found out ourselves," Donna wondered. "Of course. The old…" She waved her finger between their heads in demonstration. "If you say you can smell me I shall deck you!"

John laughed with delight. "I'm sure he knows not to. Goodbye, Doctor. Good luck."

"Come back and see us, any time," Donna added, and then couldn't resist throwing her arms around the Doctor's shoulders to hug him tight. She then ordered John, "Oi, you! Get in here and share this." He readily did as he was told, joining the hug as they made room for him. "Don't forget us," she murmured to the Doctor.

"As if I could," he answered, with a watery smile. "Onwards and upwards."

Then with a final goodbye, he was gone. Back to his TARDIS.

John held Donna as she trembled with emotion, glad to be able to still do so. "We'll get back to the stars. I promise. Even if we have to wait a hundred years."

"Hey you," she softly complained, giving his arm a mild swat, "that's my line."

"We are one now," he schmoozed. "Well, until the baby comes, that is," he amended, placing his hand on her stomach. "How brilliant is that?!" And then he kissed her.

~o~O~o~


End file.
